This invention relates to commercial aircraft and is directed particularly to improvements in tow bar coupling devices of the type removably attachable to the towing cross pin provided on the aircraft nose wheel strut.
It is common practice to move commercial aircraft along the ground for docking, maintenance purposes, etc. with use of a tractor pulling a tow bar the outer end of which has a tow bar head for coupling to the aircraft strut cross pin. Such tow bar heads heretofore provided for this purpose have utilized a pivotally journalled hook operative to hookingly engage the strut cross pin in a recess provided at the forward end of a tow bar head. These have been found to be deficient in various respects, principally in that the towing stress, because of the recess within the head body to accommodate the hook member, substantially reduces the area of surface contact between the coupling cross pin and the tow bar head, thereby correspondingly reducing the towing strength of the tow bar head.